Carter: Blue Jays can’t get caught in hype

TORONTO — Joe Carter says the Toronto Blue Jays’ new additions can’t get caught up in trying to do too much.

The retired Toronto star knows something about meeting high expectations. In 1993, the Jays came into the season as the reigning world champions, and he led them to another title with his winning home run in Game 6 of the World Series.

“When you have new guys come in — as many as the Jays have coming in now — the tendency is to go out there and try to do too much, too early,” Carter said. “And then when you do that, you put yourself in a hole. What they’ve got to do is just go out there and try to relax as much as possible and trust their teammates and believe in their teammates and not try to do it themselves.”

Toronto appears primed to make a move in the AL East after an offseason of big trades and spending. The Blue Jays acquired pitchers Josh Johnson and Mark Buehrle and shortstop Jose Reyes from the Miami Marlins and NL Cy Young Award winner R.A. Dickey from the New York Mets. They also signed outfielder Melky Cabrera and infielder Maicer Izturis.

Toronto finished fourth in the AL East last year with a 73-89 record. Manager John Gibbons was rehired in the offseason, and he’ll try to guide the Blue Jays to the postseason for the first time in two decades.

“They’ve got to get that chemistry together, put their trust in one another and have fun playing the game,” Carter said.

Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press

This article was originally posted on ESPN.com